Features

Match Report

Posted
Tue 11 Nov 14
at 15:25 PM

Goals from Cole Stockton and Jason Koumas earned Tranmere a 2-2 draw at Oxford United, a replay and a place in the FA Cup third round draw.
Stockton put Rovers ahead before two quickfire goals from Tyrone Barnett put the hosts in control. However, Koumas came off the bench to equalise and keep Tranmere in the competition.
Micky Adams made two changes to the team that beat Portsmouth a week earlier, with Marcus Holness coming in for the injured Will Aimson and Calaum Jahraldo-Martin replacing James Rowe.
Jahraldo-Martin brought a save out of Ryan Clarke on ten minutes with a shot from just outside the area from Cole Stockton's lay off.
At the other end, Rovers fended off two Oxford corners and a free kick in a dangerous position to the left of Owain Fon Williams' penalty area.
Fon Williams saved Danny Rose's 25 yard curling effort on 31 minutes, while Cole Stockton shot wide of the target for Tranmere soon after.
Rovers took the lead on 33 minutes. Shamir Fenelon's pace took him into the left side of the area and his cross was flicked into the bottom left corner of the net by Stockton from six yards.
Fenelon had a fantastic chance to double Tranmere's advantage on 40 minutes. The striker, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, ran on to a long ball and held off a defender to get one on one with Ryan Clarke, but he blazed over the bar from 15 yards.
The home side came close to levelling on 51 minutes. Danny Hylton did well to hold of Michael Ihiekwe and advance into the Tranmere area. The striker cut the ball back from the byline to Callum O'Dowda but his first time effort was struck just past the right hand post.
A similar move on the other side of Rovers' area from O'Dowda almost gave Tyrone Barnett a chance a minute later but Michael Ihiekwe stretched his leg out and play the ball to Steve Jennings who cleared the danger.
Clarke had to parry a 25 yard shot from Fenelon away from goal on 53 minutes while Rose miss-hit a shot from 20 yards at the other end.
The equaliser came on 59 minutes. Hylton broke past Ihiekwe and into the area but the Tranmere defender recovered to clear for a corner. However, from the set piece Barnett rose highest to head in at the back post.
Five minutes later Oxford took the lead. Barnett got possession inside the area, turned past Marcus Holness and fired past Fon Williams into the bottom left corner.
Barnett almost had his hat-trick on 6 minutes, but the striker was inches away from deflecting in a Danny Hylton shot.
Guy Madjo, Kayode Odejayi and Jason Koumas were brought on by Adams with Jahraldo-Martin, Stockton and Danny Holmes making way.
The trio had barely been involved when Oxford had the ball in the Tranmere net again, but Joe Riley's close range effort was ruled out for offside.
Koumas made a big impact soon after. Picking up possession wide on the right, he ran past one man before expertly curling into the far corner of Clarke's goal from outside the area to equalise.
Fon Williams saved from O'Dowda on 83 minutes and got down well to keep out a shot from Barnett in added time to ensure the tie went to a replay.